WPTM #28: Face Time

What Parenting Teaches Me #28: Face Time

It happens a lot with Anna and me.  I will be with her for hours - change her clothes, brush her hair, watch TV with her, feed her, put her in the car seat, take her back out, talk with her, whathaveyou - but it's not til I get to some destination (store, school, friend's house) that I notice her face is smeared with one thing or another and desperately needs to be wiped.  I have been with her all that time, spoken to her all that time, done things for her all that time, moved and prepared her all that time, been aware and occupied with her all that time  ... and yet I have not stopped long enough to actually look her straight in the face.

Lots of indirect attention; not so much direct attention.

Ouch.  Sound familiar in the Christian life?  Uhhhhhh, yeah.  It's so easy to do.  We can sing about God, talk about God, pray to God, think about God, read books about God, write about God, testify about God, listen to sermons about God, but we are mistaken if we let all this try to substitute for actually looking at God, seeking his face.

As it turns out, for me this seeking God's face applies to being in His word.  I've taken a few (ahem - 5!) months breather from the regimented Bible reading plans I have done for the past few years.  I just needed a break, I thought.  But this lesson coming to mind via my daughter causes me to think it's time I stopped messin' around (again) and got back in the Word for myself.

Time to give my God my direct attention once again, lest there be (spiritually speaking) a sticky remnant of grape jelly or dried snot right across my face all day long.  Right, Anna?